10/10/2013

We're gearing up for our second annual pumpkin carving extravaganza and thought it would be worth reviewing last year's. We weren't blogging at the time, so we thought it would be fun to share our pictures from last year for the first time here!

The centerpiece of any pumpkin carving party is of course, the pumpkins!

Everyone won one of Paige's handmade awards.

The rules of the game.

A close up of the awards:

It's not halloween without candy. And of course, voting supplies to the left.

Hand shaped ice for the punch, and the table in the background.

Punch bowl and cups!

Several of the pumpkins!Happy pumpkin carving! Thanks for letting us share!

10/09/2013

Last year Brooke and I both roasted pumpkin seeds for the first time. As a kid I never really liked seeds. But I have grown an appreciation (though I'm still not into sunflower seeds, unless they are covered in chocolate and candy coating). Since it was our first time, we kept it simple and just seasoned with salt. But there are a bazillion ways to make them fancy. Maybe this year we'll venture out! What's the best way pumpkin seed experts?

Until then, here's the easy peasy way we did it:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Wash the goo off of your seeds and dry them off as best you can with paper towels. You can, but don't have to, let them dry overnight.

Toss the seeds with a tablespoon of melted butter or oil.

Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes.

Taste! If they aren't done enough for you, bake again in 10 minute increments.

09/25/2013

As Summer comes to a close, I usually hit burn-out mode on eating salads and raw veggies. This is about the time when I begin to cook more stews, chili, and casseroles.

This season my favorite for baking can only be apples (so Paige can make pies). Apples are easy to view as being only for pies or lunch bags, but I would like y'all to branch out with it! Trying roasting apples for a sweet twist on side dishes or salads, or how about sneaking them in with root vegetables when making a pot roast. My new favorite apple use has got to be a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced apples on it; it's sweet and savory and makes a perfect quick lunch. My favorite varieties included in the picture are the Honeycrisp, Gala, Jazz, and Granny Smith. (Also pictured are Red Delicious apples; I'm not a huge fan of these, but they are the most recognizable apple even though they are not the most delicious.)

Cucumbers are a big hit in this house! Nothing beats a cucumber and tomato salad to give you one last taste of Summer. Out last pick, basil, adds a fresh feel to pastas, salads, and stir fry. The 60 something varieties that are available can have flavor notes ranging from cinnamon to lemon. While basil doesn't initially make you think dessert, I say try it. It can boost the flavor of fruit compotes or be used as an edible garnish, adding one last level of flavor and aroma.

09/21/2013

We rode our old school bikes (aka: bicycles) down to Dickson Street this weekend and ventured where most locals won't. Bikes Blues and Barbecue rolls into town each fall bringing hundreds of motercycles and motercyclists with it. There is free live music, tons of food, and the constant hum of the bikes revving. We aren't bikers (at least not the motorized kind), but we love music and we really love food!

All you need to get into the main stage is your ID. They'll stick a wristband on you, and you can buy anything from a variety of pop up bars, and even get your biker boots shined!Wednesday night was great. We danced to Mountain Sprout with all of our friends and it was a lot less crowded than it got in the days to follow. But Thursday night (blues night) brought this babetastic Kansas City singer, Samantha Fish. She's a bit blurry here, but trust us, she's cute.Every year we eat at the Herman's truck because it's our only chance to be able to afford the place and their ribs are freaking amazing. Plus, this year they won me over with their "ask about our gluten free options" sign.Brooke made us roasted corn on the cob with garlic butter which we brought along. It was amazing.Cloth tablecloths y'all.We walked up to the nightbird books parking lot to check out the other local food options of which there were plenty. We were really glad they made this happen because in years past there haven't been many.

Did you venture out for this year's BBB? What was your favorite moment? Where did you eat? Will you go again? We sure will!

09/11/2013

My Grandmother always serves two vegetables with every meal, with one normally being some sort of legume (peas or beans). So whenever I start to feel home sick, I whip up a mess of country style beans to take me right back to Grandma's kitchen!

To make these ordinary baby lima beans in to a low country meal, you'll need: 3 cups frozen baby lima beans, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/2 cup of chopped yellow or white onion, and about 2 or 3 strips of raw bacon as well as salt and pepper.

Start by melting the butter in a soup pot along with the onions. While the onions sweat, cut the bacon strips into spoon-sized chunks and add to the pot. Allow bacon to cook through, then add the butter beans. Next, add just enough water to the pot to cover the beans (for extra flavor trying substituting veggie stock, ham stock, or chicken stock for 1/2 of the water). Bring this to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes or until beans are tender. You may have to add in more water during the cooking period to keep the beans covered. I like to make a large amount and freeze the leftovers in small-sized containers for quick meal options later in the week. Enjoy!

-Brooke

You can follow our cooking related inspiration on our "the cafeteria" board on pinterest!

09/04/2013

You really can't get better than raw honey, unless you infuse it! Try putting some Lemon Verbena in like this or any number of tastey varieties like mint, basil, rosemary,ect. These infused products make excellent additions to tea, coffee, ice creams, or desserts. Try the Lemon Verbena Honey on oven baked salmon!

09/02/2013

Summer may be nearly over but that doesn't have to mean that the festival season is too! There's a whole slew of music festivals cropping up all across the country this fall. We're most excited about the Yonder Mountain String Band's Harvest Music Festival in what's practically our backyard - Ozark, Arkansas. The festival is in it's 4th year and is sure to be the best one yet!

Some of the bands that we're most excited about are:

Yonder Mountain String Band: you can't mention the festival without mentioning them, obviously! This unique bluegrass band brings bluegrass to the masses in a whole new way.

Beats Antique: This funky blend of electronic beats and world music is completely groovy and danceable. Plus, their shows are amazing. Every time I see them I am entranced.

Mountain Sprout: When someone asks me who my favorite local band is I am always proud to be able to say that it's this band. I love their politics, headbaning fiddler, and jump-up-and-down bluegrass anthems. I mean, who wouldn't?

Kacey Musgraves: Ever since hearing about this young leftist country singer on NPR I've been a bit intrigued. Her lyrics are entirely unique in today's country scene. If you haven't given her a listen, you definitely should - country fan or not!

08/26/2013

John Henry and the EarthShakers played one last show at the Pheonix Club in Fayetteville before their lead guitarist, Will Van Laningham, leaves to teach in Spain. In honor of their band mate, they not only played some of their original music but some of Will's favorites as well!

The show featured many solos by Will including an awesome behind-the-back one.

With Will leaving, the only question now is when will we get to see John Henry and the EarthShakers next? I know I can't wait to see this homegrown band play again!-Brooke

08/24/2013

Strap on your helmets and get ready to explore another of Fayetteville, AR's bike trails.

Frisco Trail runs 1.3 miles from Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to a curvy meetup by the train tracks on Scull Creek Trail. Though the MLK end is technically the trailhead, I began my ride from the North side where it meets Scull Creek Trail.

About halfway along the trail, Lafayette St. crosses over with this beautiful old bridge.

Just before Dickson Street is my favorite Arsagas. (Taken backwards, the Lafayette Bridge is in the background and Dickson Street is behind me.)

After crossing Dickson St. there is a huge amount of benches along the trail. There is almost always a worn out runner resting on one of these.

If you're willing to traverse an extremely steep little branch off of the trail, there is access to the Fayetteville Public Library as well! I forgot to take a picture, but there's a little sign where the access trail is.

The closer to MLK the trail gets, the more of these funky little side paths you'll see. Often they lead to nearby streets, and sometimes just to little resting spots in the woods. They aren't bike friendly, but they are fun to explore if you are in the mood for adventuring!

When I rode out the other day, the trail ended abruptly at Greenhouse Grille. The MLK side of the trail is getting a tunnel built under the road, so it will soon go even further!